Improvement in steam-traps



PATENT OEEIcE.v

JAMES E. GILLESPIE, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN STEAM-TRAPS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 58,808, dated October1G, 1866.

.To alt whom t't may concern.'

Be it known that I, JAMES E. GrLLEsPiE, of Boston, in the county ot'Sutt'olk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and usefuldevice for relieving steam-pipes ot' water that may accumulate in themby reason of condensation 5 and I do hereby declare that the followingisa full, clear, and eXact description thereof, reference being had to theaccompanying drawing, and to the letters ot reference marked thereon.

The nature of my invention consists in a small vessel attached beneaththe steam-pipe in such manner that t-he water of condensed steam thatmay form in the pipe shall ow freely into it through a small pipe, andflow out at the bottom ofthe vessel freely, without allowing any steamto escape with it; all of which is accomplished automatically andwithout any outside appliances.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I willproceed to (lescribe its construction and operation.

In the annexed drawing, a a represent an ordinary steam-pipe. At thelowest point, where water would naturally accumulate, I attach a smallpipe, of suitable material to resist any tendency to corrode, and alsothat will, when wound around like a spiral spring, have aconsiderabledegree ot' elasticity. The number of turns given will depend upon theamount of elasticity desired. At the lower end ot' this hollow spring Iattach a tank or vessel, c, capable ot' containing a sufficientquantityot' water to stretch the coil b b downward by its weight when partiallyilled. Inasmuch as the coil 1s really aspring, itis plain `that theweight ot' water will stretch it just in proportion to the quanti-ty inthe vessel. At the bottom d, I make a valve of any convenient form, andextend a stem, c, down through the aperture in the bottom ofthe vesselc, and immediately beneath the end of the valve-stem I place a bar,post, or any other convenient device, so adjusted that when the vessel cshall be more or less supplied with water, (the amount depending uponthe stiffness of the pipe b 1),) and sett-le down by reason oftheincreased load hanging upon the coil, the stem ofthe valve shall bebrought in contact with the post or bar and stopped in its downwardmotion,and thus lift the valve from its seat and allow the water 'toilow out around the stem until so much shall have passed out thattheload is no longer'able tol depress the spring sutliciently to open thevalve, when it will close by the pressure exerted upon the top of it bythe steam and weight of water, as well as by its own weight.

In practice I shall, when convenient, inclose the whole apparatus in acase or basket of wire or other suitable material, to the bottom ofwhich a waste-pipe can be attached, to carry oft' the discharged water,and the case, being attached to the steampipe, will serve to protect thecoil and tank from accident.

I do not wish to confine myself to the particular form or arrangement ofthe coil, as it is evident that sufficient motion and elasticity can beobtained from a pipe running nearly horizontal, it the vessel isattached at one end and allowed free action up and down. It is alsoplain that the same result can be obtained by using a iexible pipe andsupporting the tank c upon auxiliary springs, or even by suspendingitwith a deadweight for a balance; or many other modes of arranging thedifferent parts could be suggested; but the principle remains the same,and the operation in all will be the same or equivalent. Thus the waterthat accumuv lates in the steam-pipe, or, indeed, in any other kind otavessel where steam or other gas is contained'lor any purpose whatsoever,will flow into the tank c until its weight is sufficient to depress thetank enough to cause the valve to open slightly, and thus it will hangsteadily, with the valve just sufliciently open to allow all the waterto pass oft' continuously, always settling down .just in exactproportion to the amount of water accumulated in the tank, and, by thetact of so settling down, opening the valvejust enough to allow it topass out as iast it flows in, while at the same time, it' there is nowater .to be discharged, there is then nothing to stretch the coil, andtherefore the valve d will remain tightly closed and prevent any wasteof steam, the entire apparatus being automatic and reliable.

Vhat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is'- A steam-trapconstructed and applied substautiall y as herein set forth.

JAMES E. GILLESPIE.

Witnesses:

SUMNER ALBEE, L. S. Gaetan, J r.

